Too Late
by Himmelslied
Summary: Tokka One night on a ball Toph and Sokka discover something very important... My first Tokka Fanfic! Hope you like it!


_**Too Late**_

She had always known, that there were those two he would never forget.  
Though she hoped he would.  
After their journey with Aang had ended, they decided that they'd like to travel on, all over the world without being chased by the firenation or anyone.

And they had travelled.  
Tough she had a feeling it was more his than her journey she agreed.  
Their first destination had been Kyoshiisland.

She had thought he wanted to search for Suki, but he didn't.  
In one night he had gone away from their camp heading towards a cave.  
Silently she had followed him, and found out, he had made a grave for Suki.

A grave.

She heard his sobs, though she couldn't see his tears rolling down.  
She could feel his heartbeat as high as if he was running a marathon.  
All that she wanted was to run towards him, hug him, comfort him, doing anything that would make him feel better. But she couldn't.

All that she ever wanted was him to see her and only her. None else.

* * *

When their journey continued, they headed now to the northpole, where they met Katara, who was teaching the children of the northern watertribe waterbending.  
She was happy to meet her again, but...still there was something that was bothering the earthbender.

One night Sokka stood up form his bed and went out with his sleepingbag. He stayed out of the house all night, watching the moon and as she asked Katara, she knew it was because of Yue.

And she knew it was his journey.  
Only his to travel searching for his lost lovers. His to find forgiveness for not saving, not being able to protect them, and she knew, he would never feel the same for her, though it was depressing.

* * *

Time passed by but there was nothing, that she could do to comfort her.  
She heard him sobbing night by night, not being able to help him.  
They traveled on for at least one whole year.  
Their journey ended in the capital of the firenation, where they met for their own surprise Katara and Zuko together, being all fluffy and lovely together.

One evening there was a ball to celebrate the engagement of the new firelord Zuko and Katara where they both were invited.  
Sokka was depressed it was the day he last saw Suki three years ago.  
Toph who didn't like balls and official stuff sat on a small balcony where none was, and everything was silent.

She really enjoyed being alone for some time, none interrupted her while she was thinking about what had happened in the last month.

Toph had been sitting there for quite a while now and suddenly she felt some well known footsteps and a certain someones heartbeat coming fast towards her.

Sokka sat down beside her and didn't say anything at first, staring in the dark, cloudless and starry sky.

"I wondered where you were, since I didn't find you anywhere inside, I tought you might be outside..", he finally broke the silence.

Toph stayed silent for a little while longer, then she finally faced him, with her milkywhite, staring, but empty eyes.  
"Well...I was enjoying the silence until you came and broke it...", she answered harshly, even tough she didn't want to be harsh.

"What was your intention in searching me anyway, Snoozles?", she continued.  
Sokka faced the blind earthbender and grinned.  
"I wanted to talk to a normal person..", he said stroking softly through Tophs hair.

Toph liked his soft gestures he most likly only did to her.  
Everytime Sokka stroked thourgh her black, shimmering hair she felt as if she was the most important person for him.  
It was like he was protecting her even though she was able to defend herself very well.

There was this special thing between them. It felt the same way like her feelings for Aang, Zuko or Katara. For them she felt a certain sympathy like she might have once felt towards her parents, but for Sokka it was even more and diffrent.

Only thinking of that topic made her feeling terrible. She knew Sokka would never think of her they way she did about him.  
Sometimes, when she felt lonely lying in her bed without finding sleep she thought, about him and it often made her cry, even if she didn't want to cry.

She knew the only way she could probably could forget about Sokka, was telling him her feelings, though she was frightened about doing so.

Then, Sokka began to talk. Toph hadn't expected Sokka to start talking that soon was really surprised and also a little bit shocked.

„You know, Toph... I've been thinking for quite a while now and...I think...There is something on your mind you haven't talked about to me at all. You know that you can always talk to me, do you?", he began looking seriously towards the girl that was sitting right beside him. „Why wouldn't I talk to you, Snoozles..?", she asked curiously, even though it was acted, because she knew very well, what was there on her mind. What she had kept secret from everyone. What she hadn't even told Katara.

„I know there a things everyone keeps locked up deep within their hearts, but still...

I really wish I could help you with whatever it is..", he continued his speech, now facing the big clear moon in the sky.

„Yeah, you're right, Ponytail!", she said with an undefined expression on her face.

„I DON'T want to talk about it!", she said in a harsh tone again.

She heard Sokka sighing and already felt guilt crawling up her back again. What was her problem, telling him the truth...?! Even if he didn't feel the same way she didn't, after telling him she knew she would feel better.

These thoughts were hunting her now...but when did they start coming again and again..?

She couldn't tell.

All she knew was that she loved him, and the more she thought about it the more her heart began to ache.

„Toph... Sometimes talking helps...", answered minutes of silence later.

„I know! I know!"

Thes words out of her mouth before she could even control it and he glimpsed at Toph.

Before Toph could do anything he pulled her into his arms and hugged her tightly.

„What the-?!", she blurted out.

„You really don't want to talk about it, huh?", he whispered into Tophs ear, gently stroking over her back.  
„But please tell me..", Sokka requested.  
„When I think about you having some big problem it makes me going crazy, and I just want to help you..", he finally admitted.

„Is it about your parents..? Or...Is it about Katara and Zuko...  
Please just tell me...  
I can't even get to sleep at night, when I know there's something bothering you, so please tell me..", he begged again and again.

„Or is it about a...guy..?!", he asked with an terrified brotherly look on his face.

Finally Toph couldn't help but smile defeated.  
„It's okay, Snoozles..It's okay.. I will tell you what has been bothering me lately, but I will only tell it once, so listen carefully..", she gave in.  
She just couldn't resist the sound of his voice.  
Toph cleared her throat and then she began to tell him.

„Well actually there is this guy, that I've now known for quite a while, and I don't know his opinion about me..but I know mine and it's really disturbing..", she began.

„Who is that guy...?!", Sokka interrupted her. „Do I know him?!

„Well Sokka, if you don't know him, I don't know who else could know him better than you...", she said annoyed about his disruption.

By a look into Sokkas face Toph would have known now that he was thinking.  
Badly thinking about who this guy was.  
But she couldn't.  
Hearing her telling about an other guy she liked made him jealous.  
Oh yeah... jealous. He loved her and now she was telling him about her love towards some unknown strange guy.

Tophs heartbeat was so fast now, she was frightened, he could hear it.

„I've spent my last time on a journey with this guy, and at the moment it's getting even worse..", a sad tone was in her voice as she finally said that.

„It's you, meathead..It's you..", she finally said it.

It took Sokka quite a while to realize, what Toph had just said, and when he finally was able to think clearly, it was too late.

Toph had loosened the hug and jumped off the balcony.

Now that he finally knew it, that she loved him, it was too late, because she ran away.

„Toph!!", he screamed after her.

* * *

When Sokka found her Toph sat on a bench in the little garden of the palace.

„Why did you run away, Toph...?", he asked, after he had sat down beside her and looked at her seriously.

She could feel his glance on her, knew he was there.

„I know it's too late to apologize, Toph, but still...

Why didn't you ever tell me..?", he asked curious.

„I mean...", he didn't find the words to end this sentence.

„I knew you didn't love me.", was her only and final answer.

„But that's not true!!", he said and pulled her towards himself into a tight hug.

„Of course I love you...Of course.. I've always loved you, but I never found the words, or the right time to tell you...", he continued.

Toph startled and her milky eyes widned, when finally Sokka forced her to 'look' into his eyes and his lips met hers, gently kissing her.

When they broke apart Toph snuggled up to his chest and said quiet: „I love you, Snoozles.."

_**The End**_


End file.
